Zen Thoughts

Yesterday's post got me thinking about something I read years ago.  It was in a book about Zen Buddhism but I cannot recall which one.  The author tried to explain a Zen concept by describing a drinking glass.  He said initially the glass is pristine - brand new, out of the box, unclouded, no scratches or cracks.  Then, imagine the glass broken.  


We should look at everything in this world in those terms - broken - because nothing remains perfect and pristine.  However, in our society, we're trained to think everything should be perfect, without blemish, and when something becomes damaged, we're to replace it.  Over the years I've tried to think in terms of *broken.*  When I do this I am neither disappointed when something is marred (such as a ding in my brand new car) nor do I feel the urge to run out and replace it.  It just is.  Of course, I'm human and sometimes find myself giving in to those marketeers who convince me that the way of the universe is perfection.  But I try to resist those messages and just imagine the glass broken...